§ 20. Mr. Marquandasked the Minister of Social Security how many sick and unemployed persons receiving supplementary allowances were affected by the wage standstill, at the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. LoughlinOn 3rd January, 1967 there were 2,503 temporarily sick persons and 21,800 unemployed persons whose supplementary allowances were restricted by reference to their usual weekly earnings.
§ Mr. MarquandDoes my hon. Friend agree that these figures ram home the urgent need to do something about this problem? Will he commend to his right hon. Friends that one way of tackling it is by means of the incomes policy, and the acceptance of the principle of a minimum wage which is higher than the minimum conditions laid down as acceptable by the Supplementary Benefits Commission?
§ Mr. LoughlinI appreciate the difficulties inherent in this question, but I am very sorry that the question of a minimum wage is not strictly for my Department.
§ Mr. Maurice MacmillanWhen considering the other problems of family poverty, will the Minister bear in mind the fact that the wages stop is one of the major factors in such problems?
§ Mr. LoughlinCertainly. When we are dealing specifically in terms of things like family allowances this obviously has a bearing on the lower-paid worker. This seems to me possibly the only way in which to solve this very difficult problem.